Computers typically comprise executable code referred to as the Basic Input/Output System (“BIOS”) code. The BIOS code is executed to initialize (boot-up) the computer and transfer control to an operating system. Additionally, the BIOS tests the computer's hardware to ensure proper operation, locates specialized BIOS code residing on peripherals (e.g., graphics BIOS on a graphics board), and provides various interfaces to low-level functions of the computer such as access to storage drives, interaction with input devices, etc., for use by the operating system.
BIOS code is typically stored in a Read-Only-Memory (“ROM”) or Flash memory device coupled to the computer's processor. The memory device may be addressable by the computer's processor at reset or the memory's contents may be transferred to RAM for execution. While such memory devices provide access to the BIOS program to boot-up the computer, they also restrict the amount of memory available for BIOS storage.
One or more settings are typically associated with a computer's BIOS. Examples of such settings include system date and time, drive configuration, security settings, power management settings, and memory timing. The computer user accesses BIOS settings through a “Setup” mode included in the BIOS. Depression of a selected keyboard key or key sequence (e.g., <F10> or <DELETE>) during system start-up triggers execution of the Setup mode. Typically, BIOS Setup mode interacts with the user through a simple textual interface devoid of the graphical displays and “point and click interaction” the user has come to expect when operating a modern computer. Graphical displays are memory intensive and the limited memory available for BIOS storage in conjunction with the cost of expanding BIOS memory has hindered the development of graphical displays for BIOS setup mode.